In all data networks, it is necessary to balance allocation of resources (such as bandwidth) amongst users. It is also desirable to be able to provide different levels of service to different users. This, in consequence, means that network resources must usually be shared unequally between users to provide different levels of service.
Once it is accepted that different users will receive different allocations of resources, it then becomes necessary to provide a mechanism which allows interaction between users. Such required interaction can make resource control systems computationally complex and also limit the ability of a network operator to introduce new resource control systems on a piecemeal basis.
The present invention sets out to produce a relatively simple mechanism for allocating resources to users in a network and a mechanism which is scaleable and does not need to be implemented on a network-wide basis.